Ontario Conservative Leader Tim Hudak wants a provincial election and everyone seems to be advising him against it. Actually it might be a good idea. With the three major provincial parties at a virtual tie in the public opinion polls, a volatile minority legislature and the economic pressures facing Ontario, we really need to make up our minds. This province needs stability, leadership, vision and jobs and an election would be well worth the cost.
There is no question that the Tory’s Tiny Tim has reached his ‘best before’ date and by having an election, the voters could help the Conservative Party get rid of him. While he has a hard core of supporters for his politics of division, he will make the more progressive voters think carefully about their vote. There are more than enough serious voters in Ontario who remember the days of Hudak’s mentor Michael Harris and that is more than enough to get them working against Timmy.
And the voters also have to make a decision about Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne. She is a premier without a mandate from the voters. After that mish-mash of a throne speech she foisted on the public and an upcoming budget that promises little, she needs road testing. Ontario has to understand where she is going. If she really wants to make the deficit an objective, we might as well elect Timmy. At least with him, you know he will attack the deficit and everyone else he hurts will just be collateral damage.
If Wynne is as progressive as some say she is, it is damn well about time we heard what she is progressive about. And sexual orientation counts for nothing.
What everyone needs to look out for is the third party in this legislative ménage à trois. Those few points difference in telephone coincidental polling are meaningless. There are three parties in this race and best you do not forget it.
While nobody has high expectations of New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath, she could be the safety valve for the voters who are sick of Conservative and Liberal lectures on the economy while doing nothing. If she actually came out with a plan that made sense to the voters, there could be trouble for both Hudak and Wynne.
And yes, elections cost money. We pay it to ourselves. It keeps the economy working. We need this election.
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Copyright 2013 © Peter Lowry
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